Babe Club have successfully tapped into the alt-rock, indie airwaves with their latest EP which undoubtedly establishes them among genre stalwarts like Wolf Alice, Clairo and Basement Revolver. Like their female-fronted counterparts, Babe Club use enchanting, delicate vocals to provide the perfect contrast to fuzzy, amped-up guitar and raw, punchy drums.
‘Remember This Feeling’ is the finished product of the band’s well-refined sound that is more than capable of giving the bigger acts a run for their money. Considering the band’s style is purely made up of the combined talents of duo Jenna and Corey, Babe Club are definitely more than just guests at the alt-rock table.
Soundwave’s Libby Driscoll [virtually] sat down with Babe Club’s Jenna, to talk inspirations, COVID-19, ‘Flip Flap’s’ and what the future holds for the band.
Tell me about the history of you guys, where did the story of Babe Club start?
Corey and I met while eating a plate of cheese at a college event in 2013. We then had art history together, and the rest was the history of our art. Corey used to ask me if I was art, like every day honestly. We used to make demos on GarageBand on our iPhones. We started dating in 2015 then joined a band called Susto and toured the US/Europe for a few years. In the van with that band is where we started writing some of our songs. In 2018 we quit that band to start Babe Club, and since then have been honing in on our sound and songwriting style, it’s changed even since recording of the EP.
For those that don’t know you, what’s would you like the readers to know?
I have an alternative personality called Charice Fairweather. Check her out. I love ice cream, and cookies. Corey loves dark chocolate, very dark. We have a product called the flip flap, it’s for sale.
Your EP ‘Remember This Feeling’ has been out a few weeks now, what was the writing process and inspiration behind the EP?
The inspiration behind the EP was very much based on coming into my identity during my early 20s. I experienced this time of my life in a van touring around the country, and it was isolating, exciting, surprising, and sad at times. For example, “Together” was written shortly after Corey and I started dating/touring together, we moved in together really quick and it was definitely a strange time. We had to learn how to coexist in a new way, being with each other 24/7 in a van/hotel room and also living together in a new relationship.
How would you describe what the EP’s opener ‘Future Talks’ is about to new listeners?
It’s an angsty, honest, existential rock song about being on your own for the first time and challenging your own values about yourself.
I just graduated school, did the opposite of what my parents wanted by joining a touring band and making no money. I stopped shaving my legs, and was living a new pseudo adult lifestyle where I thought I knew everything but would have extreme moments of existential dread and self-doubt thinking, “no I don’t know what I’m doing, who am I?”. I would get in fights with my parents about pursuing music and I would tell them I know exactly what I’m doing and not to worry, but then I would go home to my fake adult life and feel freaked out because I knew I didn’t know what I was doing.
Where does the grungey, alt-pop inspiration come from?
At the time, we were touring in a rock band all around the country. It’s very easy to feel grimy and grungy when you’re stuck in a van with 5 other people. No showers, little sleep, and no personal space can be a cocktail of angst lol. A lot of it also comes from all of the dark emotions that have to come out of you some how. And for us it’s through music. The music we were listening to at the time reflects it all. Bully, Mitski, Sunflower Bean, Vampire Weekend. All dark Indie Rock/Pop vibes.
What would you like your music to mean to people?
Growing up, for the both of us, music was a means to escape, find our place in the world, create an identity for ourselves, and just get in tune with our emotions. If the music we make takes up the same space in other people’s lives then I think we’d feel pretty good about that. We just want to be honest in our music, and create meaningful moments that people can relate to. All we have is our stories, and we just want to share with people.
Being a female-fronted band, have you faced any challenges in the music industry?
No we haven’t really. Not that I know of.
Post-Covid, what are your career aspirations?
Post Covid we just want to continue to connect to people through our music. We’re doing our best right now through exclusively digital means, but the digital goes hand in hand with the analogue. As soon as live shows can come back we want to get out and connect with people in the real world. Traveling was such a huge part of our life, and it feels so strange to have been in the same place for so long. I’m sure almost every band feels the same way. Most importantly, we really want to get to the UK and play for all of you guys.
Also with or without covid, we want to be releasing music at a more steady pace than we have been. Just want to continue to create opportunities to connect with everyone out there.